Our Christmas was quiet and calm...nice, but we really felt like we were on the other side of the world from family and friends and all things familiar. Instead of celebrating Keith's birthday with our normal Christmas Eve breakfast, we went to one hosted by E /S Hanks in the Friedrichsdorf chapel. We sang "Zum Geburgstag" to Elder Saunders and Sister Johnson, ate yummy omelettes and Monkey Bread just like at home.....only my grandkids call Monkey Bread "Grandma Dots".
The young missionaries came, too, and showed a video about a shoemaker who waited all day for Christ to visit him only to realize the 3 people he helped that day were the manifestation of Jesus in His life.
Our friends in the office surprised Elder Saunders with a little party with Carolin who celebrates her b.day just after Christmas. Wish you could see Marianna better...she is the heart and soul of our office; always remembering special days. The smiling gentleman behind them is Andrew Mason, the perfect English gentleman with a delightful accent. Carolin and Marianna are German.
We managed to skype with the whole family together on Christmas Eve...our time. We skyped with each family on Christmas night our time/Christmas morning their time. Then on the 27 th, the kids all got together at Kim's for the Saunders'Party. We watched each grandchild open a present from one of their cousins......and a small present to each family from us. It was suppose to get there by the first of December, but Kaycee got it the Sunday before Christmas......in time to share it after Christmas.
There was a buffet on Christmas Day for the Senior Missionaries......I forgot my camera. There was a good crowd, including the children of 3 couples who came for Christmas. Several couples traveled during the holidays. We stayed home, looking forward to doing something on the Saturday after Christmas....only to wake up to about 6 inches of snow.
It actually felt good to get back to work in January.
Now this next picture is not for the squismish. Fair warning!
I cut Elder Saunders' hair!!! He had "trimmed it " several times and rather than go to a barber, he asked me to cut it. You can see it was pretty long! And curly!! The finished product was better than this picture would suggest, but we have come to an agreement ......he will go to a barber, then I will trim it, then back to the barber, and so on. I on the other hand, will continue to go to Anett for all my hair cuts!
Can you see the difference on the color of the eggs here? The yolks are almost orange. They are delicious , and we have them often. However, sometimes you get a little feather with you purchase !
We have had some visitors come see us in Germany. My cousin Jeanie and her husband Dick Pierson stopped by on their way home from their mission in Moscow. They worked with the youth and met many wonderful families while there. They loved their 18 months there, and I know they are greatly missed now. Jeanie and I grew up in Payson. Her mom was my dad's sister. They are back in Little Rock, Arkansas now.....enjoying some new grand babies born while they were away.
We were able to go to the Frankfurt Temple and out to dinner with them. They were here in October.
Then last weekend, our nephew Steve Saunders was in Germany on business. He is Lorin and Cleo's oldest son. He came to Switzerland on his mission, got his MBA, and came back to work in Germany for several years. He ended up living in Switzerland, met Shirleen in Utah, courted her long distant, married her in the SL temple, lived in Switzerland, had 4 children.....and has been living back in Utah for about 5 or 6 years. They have two sons on missions right now....one in Peru and one in Finland. Their oldest daughter is graduating in nursing from BYU this year and their youngest daughter goes to Herriman High School.
He emailed us that he would like to spend Saturday with us. He took us to Rothenberg for sightseeing and dinner. It was a wonderful day of seeing a beautiful old city and getting caught up on all the news from back home. He came to dinner at our apartment Sunday evening. It was the best weekend since the Cahoons were here for Thanksgiving!!
The church on the left was so beautiful.
It is the St. Jakob's Lutheran Church in Rothenburg ob der Tauber.......beautiful.
Elder S is busy preparing for our monthly Area Auditing Committee meeting on Thursday.
He is also planning a big Area Auditor's conference for March......several new auditors have been called and instead of us going to Rome, London , Vienna , and Portugal , they will come to us.....SIGH.
He works hard at work and brings work home, too. He is a great man, a great Area Auditor, and I am a poor excuse of an assistant! But, as he often says, I'm all he's got!! Actually what he really says is, "I'm all you've got." I just adapted it a little! I help as much as I can.....but he carries a heavy load.
We are busy and happy....and already looking forward to spring!!
